Goosebumps 2k 14 jekyl and heidi

Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi JEKYLL AND HEIDI I stared at the bus ticket in my hand and read my name over and over: Heidi Davidson.. Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and He

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi Goosebumps (R)Series 2000

BOOK JACKET INFORMATION

Goosebumps

No 14

APPLE FICTION

Half human Half beast

Welcome to the new

millennium of fear

Goosebumps (R)

SERIES 2000

I gripped the banister and gaped in silence as Uncle Jekyll staggered into the house

His white hair shot out wildly from his head as if it had been shocked with electricity His pale eyes bulged His face was smeared with dirt

I wanted to disappear I didn't want him to see me I didn't want him to explain where he had been or what he had done

SCHOLASTIC INC

RL4 008-012

Page 1

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi JEKYLL AND HEIDI

I stared at the bus ticket in my hand and read my name over and over: Heidi Davidson

Heidi Davidson Heidi Davidson

I gazed at it until the words blurred in front of my eyes

That's how I feel, I thought sadly I feel like a blur My life was all bright colors But now now my future is a gray, mysterious blur

I know I know That sounds like something I read in a book

But that's the way I think sometimes I write poetry Long, sad poems And I write in my journal every day

Sometimes I wish I didn't have so much to write about

I still can't talk about what happened without tears burning my eyes Growing up in Springfield, my first twelve years were normal and happy

I have wonderful memories I don't want to lose them I hope my journal will help me remember them forever

Then last month, the first part of my life came to an end

I might as well just say it My parents

they were killed in a horrible car accident

You can't imagine the shock of it The days of crying the questions that repeated and repeated in my mind

Why?

Why did it happen?

Sometimes I felt too overwhelmed by sadness to get out of bed And sometimes I found myself feeling angry angry at my parents for leaving mealone

Where will I live now? I wondered

Who will I be? Will I still be me?

We have such a small family

I was sent to live with my only uncle, Dr

Palmer Jekyll He and my aunt are divorced He lives with his daughter, my cousin Marianna, outside a small village in northern Vermont.

My parents and I visited Uncle Jekyll only once, when I was five I don't remember much about that visit

I remember Uncle Jekyll's

dark, old house, an enormous mansion I remember long halls Big, empty rooms with chairs and couches covered by dusty sheets

I remember the bubbling, churning equipment in my uncle's lab electrical coils, tangles of wire, shelves of glass tubes

He's a scientist I don't know what kind

I remember his stern face, his skin so pale I could almost see the bone underneath it His cold Page 2

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi gray eyes His long, bony hands on my shoulders, guiding me out of the lab Gently but firmly

"This is not a place for you, Heidi." I remember his voice, strangely high and soft, a whisper

And what did I say to him as he led me out of his lab?

What did I say that made him laugh so hard?

Oh, yes I raised my round,

five-year-old face to him and asked, "Are you Frankenstein?"

He laughed so hard, a high, choking laugh

And then he told my parents, and they laughed too

My cousin Marianna was the only one who didn't laugh

She was five too, so shy she barely spoke a word I remember thinking how pretty she was, with her big brown eyes and curly black hair down to hershoulders

With my straight light brown hair and green eyes, I felt so drab and colorless next to her

Marianna stayed in her room a lot When she spent time with us, I found her staring at me

Studying me as if I were some kind of strange zoo animal

Why didn't she want to talk to me?

Didn't she like me?

These are some of the questions I asked myself as the bus bounced north along the narrow Vermont highway, taking me to my new life

Outside my window, golden beams of sunlight shot through the tall, snow-covered pines

There are no billboards allowed on the roads in Vermont It's so pretty and uncluttered here, I thought

No billboards And not many cars

I sighed I hope it isn't too boring at Uncle Jekyll's

The bus curved sharply along the narrow road

The old woman sitting in front nearly fell out of her seat She and I were the only passengers

Behind the endless trees, I saw a small creek that followed the road Sunlight sparkled on its frozen surface

My face pressed against the glass, I gazed out at the glistening light The hum and bounce of the bus, the light on the icy creek it kind of hypnotizedme

I didn't realize when the bus stopped

Blinking hard, I turned to the front The old woman had vanished!

My mouth dropped open in surprise Then I saw the open bus door and realized she had climbed out

The driver, a big, sweaty, round-faced man, poked his head around "Shepherd Falls,"

he announced "Everybody out."

Everybody out? That was kind of funny since I Page 3

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi was the only passenger I pulled on my blue parka, tugged my backpack from the overhead rack,and made my way to the front.

"Is someone meeting you?" the driver asked

I nodded "My uncle."

He squinted at me "No bags?"

"I sent them on ahead." I thanked him and stepped out into the sunlight and cold, fresh air

Sweet-smelling Piney

I turned to the bus station, a tiny white-shingled shack No cars in the small parking lot A sign over the narrow glass door read: GATE

ONE

I chuckled The building was much too small for a GATE TWO

Hoisting my backpack onto one shoulder, I made my way into the building My back and leg muscles ached from the long ride I tried to stretch as Iwalked

"Uncle Jekyll?" I was so sure he'd be waiting inside, I called out to him

But no No one in the tiny station

My heart started to pound My hands felt cold and wet

Take it easy, Heidi, I instructed myself

Who wouldn't be nervous starting a whole new life with people you don't know in a tiny village far from home?

The ticket window at the far wall was closed

Two long wooden benches stretched in the center of the room No one sitting there Someone had left a newspaper on the floor beside the frontbench

Uncle Jekyll knew I was coming, I told myself So where is he?

What kind of a welcome is this?

I started to cough Probably from the dust in the station I'm very allergic to dust My cough echoed around the empty room

I turned and hurried back outside Had Uncle Jekyll pulled into the parking lot?

No No sign of him

"I don't believe this!" I muttered to myself

Shielding my eyes from the sun, I spotted a pay phone on the side of the station I'd better try calling him, I decided I dropped a quarter into the slotand punched in 4-1-1

The Information operator had a New England accent

"I'd like the number of Dr Palmer Jekyll," I told her I spelled Jekyll for her

She mumbled something I heard the rattle of keyboard keys

"I'm sorry, dear," she announced "That number is private It's unlisted."

"But I'm his niece!" I protested To my surprise, the words came out shrill and frightened

"We're not allowed to give the number out," the operator replied gently "I'm really sorry."

Me too, I thought bitterly I hung up Page 4

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi the phone

A shadow swept over me I jumped

Just a bird Some kind of blackbird, flying low over the station I watched it land on the low picket fence that stretched behind the station It flutteredits blue-black wings and tilted its head, watching me

I searched the parking lot again Empty The straight, snow-covered road leading to the station also stood empty

"Where is he?" I asked out loud "Where?"

"Where is who?" a voice demanded

"Huh?" I uttered a startled gasp and spun around

I stared at a dark-haired boy about my age

He wore a brown sheepskin jacket, open to reveal a blue-and-white ski sweater pulled down over baggy jeans

"Thank goodness!" I cried "I thought you were the bird!"

The boy squinted at me "Excuse me?"

I pointed to the fence The blackbird had vanished

I felt myself blushing "There was a bird on the fence, and I thought it talked to me." As soon as I said it, I knew I was just making things worse

A gust of wind ruffled the boy's thick brown hair A smile spread over his face "We have a lot of talking birds here We're known for that."

We both laughed I was starting to feel a little better

"Are you waiting for someone?" he asked

I nodded "My uncle was supposed to pick me up." I glanced down the snowy road Not a single car had passed since I arrived

"You got off the bus?" the boy asked He looked behind me I think he was searching for my suitcases

"I'm from Springfield," I told him "I have to move here Because well " My voice trailed off

He introduced himself His name was Aaron Freidus I told him my name

Another gust of wind shook powdery snow from the trees I pulled my parka hood up around my head "Aren't you in school or something?" I asked

"It's winter break," he replied He kicked a clump of snow "No school."

"Are you waiting for a bus?" I asked

He laughed "That would be a long wait We only get two buses a week."

"Then you just hang out here because it's so exciting?"

I teased

Aaron grinned at me He had a really nice smile Actually, he was kind of cute

He pointed to the station "My mom works the Page 5

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi counter at the luncheonette On the other side of the station I'm just waiting for her to get offwork."

I gazed over his shoulder at the road, watching for Uncle Jekyll's car "Have you lived in Shepherd Falls all your life?" I asked

He nodded

"Well what do you do for fun?"

He shrugged "You can go ice-skating on the creek Do you like to ice-skate? And there's a movie theater in Conklin That's only twenty milesaway."

Oh, wow, I thought The only movie theater is twenty miles from here!

"Do you have cable?" I asked Please, please say you have cable here

"No But a few people have satellite dishes."

He sighed "Most people can't afford them You know, people in the village are kind of poor."

The late afternoon sun faded behind a cloud The air grew even colder

"I think my uncle forgot about me," I said, frowning "Is there a taxi or something? How do I get to his house?"

"Who is your uncle?" Aaron asked

"Dr Palmer Jekyll."

Aaron uttered a startled gasp His dark eyes grew wide "Heidi!" he cried

"You're not really going to the Jekyll house are you? Dr Jekyll he he's a

monster!"

I laughed

Aaron looked so funny with his mouth open and his eyes bugging wide Like a character in a comic book

"Give me a break," I said

"But but Dr Jekyll " Aaron sputtered

"I know, I know Jekyll and Hyde," I said, shaking my head "Dr Jekyll drinks a potion and turns into Mr Hyde, a hideous beast Everyone knows thatold story."

"But, Heidi " Aaron protested

"It's just a story It isn't real," I insisted "Can you imagine how many awful jokes my poor uncle has probably had to put up with all because hisname is Jekyll?"

"Listen to me! You don't understand!" Aaron screamed

I took a step back Why was he suddenly getting so intense?

"Just be quiet for a moment," he demanded, breathing hard "It isn't a joke, Heidi

Some kind of frightening beast has been attacking the village And it "

"Give me a hint," I interrupted "Is he big and green, and his name is Godzilla?"

I caught the hurt expression on Aaron's face, and I felt bad about my joke "You're serious aren't you?" I asked

He nodded

Page 6

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi With the sun behind clouds, the snow-covered ground had darkened to gray Long shadowsstretched over the parking lot

I suddenly had the strange feeling that I was in an old black-and-white movie

I have feelings like that sometimes I'm a poet, remember?

"There's an ugly creature," Aaron continued, his eyes locked on mine "It terrorizes the village I mean, it runs wild It wrecks houses and stores And

it hurts people."

"What does that have to do with Uncle Jekyll?"

I asked

Aaron swallowed "A lot of people here in the village believe your uncle is responsible."

"Huh?" I narrowed my eyes at him

"You're saying my uncle is some kind of

creature?"

"He might be," Aaron replied, his voice growing shrill "Or he might have created the creature He's a scientist, right? Maybe

maybe he's a mad scientist! Maybe he was up in his mansion doing evil experiments, and "

"Enough!" I cried I turned and walked away "I know what you're doing, Aaron It's the old let's-scare-the-new-girl gag." I spun back to him angrily

"But I'm not falling for it No way I'm going to believe such a goofball story."

Again, the hurt expression creased his face

"His name is Jekyll, right?" he asked softly "Maybe he's a great-great-grandson of the original Dr Jekyll Maybe "

"But that's just a story!" I cried "Do you know the difference, Aaron? There's fiction and there's nonfiction Dr Jekyll is fiction."

"But the monster is real," he insisted.

"Everyone in the whole county is afraid to go out at night We only have four police officers in the village They don't know what to do."

"They should stop watching scary movies at night," I joked "Then they wouldn't have these nightmares."

"Fine Okay," Aaron snapped angrily

"Don't believe me Make jokes But you should know this, Heidi The villagers want your uncle arrested The police just haven't been able to findenough proof."

"How do you know so much about the police?" I demanded

"My cousin Allan is on the force," he replied "Besides, it's a small village

Everyone knows everything around here Even the kids."

I stared hard at him, studying his face He seemed sincere with this monster story But of course it was a joke It had to be

I shivered "I've got to get to Uncle Jekyll's." I sighed "Is there a taxi?"

He shook his head "You can walk there It's only about twenty minutes or so from here."

Page 7

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi

"Point me in the right direction," I said

He pointed to the road "Just follow it It goes up through the trees Up a pretty steep hill But the street was plowed this morning The snow won't be

a problem Your uncle's house is at the top of the hill."

I squinted at the trees, heavy with snow

"Does the house have a street number or anything?"

"No," Aaron replied "But you can't miss it It's a huge mansion It looks like an evil castle in an old horror movie

Really."

"Yes, I kind of remember it," I said

Then I had an idea "Can you walk me there?

Can you come with me?"

Aaron lowered his eyes to the ground "I

can't," he murmured He grabbed my arm

"Please, Heidi You understand, right? I don't want to die."

I knew Aaron was kidding me I knew his whole story had to be some kind of joke

But why did I see so much fear in his eyes?

Was he just a good actor?

"Well, maybe I'll see you around," I said "You know In town Or in school."

"Yeah Catch you later." He turned and ran toward the bus station He glanced back at me once, then disappeared around the back

He's probably hurrying to tell his mom about the joke he played on the new girl in town, I decided The two of them are probably laughing their headsoff now

I took a deep breath, tightened my parka hood over my head, and started walking The hard-packed snow crunched under my Doc Martens.Glittering snow-drops fell from the trees, silvery in the late afternoon sun

"What a horrible day," I murmured First, Uncle Jekyll doesn't show Then I meet a kid who just wants to terrify me with a stupid joke about how myuncle is a monster Then I have to walk all the way to his house in the freezing cold

The narrow road sloped up a low hill through the village I studied the small shops A barbershop with a snow-covered barber pole, a general store,

a tiny post office with a fluttering flag over the door, a gun store with a display of hunting rifles filling the window

This is it, I realized The whole village.

Just two blocks long

A snowy side street curving up from the main road had rows of little houses on each side

They looked like tiny boxes, one after another

I wondered if Aaron lived in one of those houses

I leaned into the gusting wind and followed the road up the hill As I left town, the woods began again The tree branches creaked and Page 8

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi groaned, shifting in the breeze I heard small animals scuttling over the ground

Squirrels, I thought Or maybe raccoons

The road curved sharply I still hadn't passed a single person or car My backpack bounced on my shoulders as I climbed

"Oh." I uttered a sharp cry as Uncle Jekyll's house suddenly came into view The house it did look like an evil castle from an old horror movie.Wet snow-drops from the trees blew into my eyes, blurring my vision I wiped the snow away and stared up at the enormous dark stone mansion

My new home

A sob escaped my throat I quickly swallowed it

You're going to be fine, Heidi, I told myself Don't start feeling sorry for yourself before you even give it a chance

"It's an adventure," I murmured out loud

Yes I planned to think of my new life as an adventure

My eyes on the house, I trudged up the steep hill My shoes slipped in the wet snow The wind swirled around me, roaring louder as I approachedthe top

A few minutes later, I stepped into the shadow of the house The sun seemed to disappear I blinked in the blue-gray darkness

And made my way onto the stone steps that led to the black wooden door I pushed the doorbell

Why was I shaking all over? From the cold?

I brushed wet snow-drops from the front of my parka and pushed the doorbell again

And waited Waited Trembling Breathing hard

Finally, the heavy door creaked open

A head poked out A pretty girl's face ringed by long black curls

Marianna!

"Hi " I started

But I didn't get another word out

"Get away from here!" she whispered furiously "Get away while you can!"

"Huh?" I gasped and nearly fell off the stone steps "Marianna what do you mean?"

Her dark eyes flashed She opened her mouth to reply

But she suddenly stopped

I heard the click of footsteps approaching on the hardwood floor Marianna turned back to the house

A maid in a black uniform and white apron appeared "It's my cousin Heidi,"

Marianna explained to the young woman

The maid laughed "Well,

Marianna, aren't you going to let her in?"

Page 9

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi Marianna narrowed her eyes at me, as if warning me again Then her face went blank, noexpression at all She pulled open the heavy door and motioned for me to enter.

"This is Sylvia," Marianna said, pointing to the maid "She will help you unpack."

"Your bags arrived two days ago,"

Sylvia said "Did you walk from the station?"

I nodded I still had my parka hood up I tugged it down and started to unzip my coat

"I reminded Dad this morning that you were coming,"

Marianna said, shaking her head "He probably forgot."

"You must be frozen," Sylvia said, taking my coat "I'll make something hot to drink." She hurried away, her shoes clicking on the floor

I glanced around Marianna and I stood in a dark entryway High overhead, a large glass chandelier cast pale light that hardly seemed to reach thefloor The walls were papered dark green The aroma of roasting meat filled the room

I turned to Marianna She was tall, at least six inches taller than me, and thin Her black curls flowed down behind a heavy red-and-white plaid skisweater She wore black leggings that made her look even taller

Again seven years later I felt pale and colorless standing next to her

She crossed her arms over the front of her sweater and led me into a large living room A fire blazed in a stone fireplace at one end

Heavy brown leather furniture faced the fireplace

Enormous paintings of snowy-peaked mountain landscapes covered one wall The curtains were pulled halfway over the front window, allowing inonly a narrow rectangle of light

"How are you?" I asked my cousin, forcing some enthusiasm

"Okay," she replied flatly

"Are you on winter break?" I asked

She nodded "Yeah." Her arms were still crossed tightly in front of her

"How is Uncle Jekyll?" I tried

"Okay, I guess," she replied, shrugging

"Real busy."

Marianna is as shy as ever, I

decided

But then I asked myself: Is she shy or unfriendly?

I kept trying to start a conversation "Where is Uncle Jekyll? Is he home?"

"He's working," Marianna replied, moving to the window "In his lab He can't be disturbed." She turned her back to me and stared out at the snow

"Well shouldn't I tell him I'm here?" I asked I picked up a small blue glass bird Some kind of hawk I needed something to do with my hands Theglass bird was surprisingly heavy I set it back down

Page 10

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi Marianna didn't answer my question

"I walked through the village," I said

"It's pretty tiny What do you do for fun?

Where do you hang out? I mean there are other kids our age, right?"

She nodded, but didn't reply The gray light flooding in from the window made her look like a beautiful statue

When she finally uncrossed her arms and turned to me, she had the coldest expression on her face Cold as stone

"Want to see your room?" she asked

"Yes Definitely!" I replied I followed her to the front stairway I slid one hand over the smooth black banister as we made the steep climb.

Marianna is just very shy, I decided She must feel so weird, having a total stranger, someone her own age, move in with her

"I I hope we can be like sisters," I blurted out

A strange, snickering laugh escaped her lips She stopped on the stairs and turned back to me "Sisters?"

"Well yeah," I replied, my heart suddenly pounding "I know this must be kind of hard for you I mean "

She sneered "Kind of hard? You don't know anything, Heidi."

"What do you mean?" I demanded "Tell me."

She swept her black curls back over her shoulders and continued climbing We reached the second floor

I stared up and down an endless hallway of darkly flowered wallpaper The air felt cold and damp Lights on torch-shaped wall sconces cast a paleglow down the hall Most of the doors were closed

"That's my room there," Marianna said, pointing It appeared to be a mile away at the end of the hall She pushed open a heavy door

"And this is your room."

I shut my eyes as I stepped inside I knew it was going to be gross Dark and depressing

When I opened my eyes, I smiled in surprise "Not bad," I murmured

The room was totally cheerful Afternoon sunlight poured in through airy, light curtains on two large windows I quickly took in a single bed with mysuitcases opened on it, a little wooden desk, a tall dresser, two modern-looking chairs

Not bad at all

One wall had floor-to-ceiling

bookshelves jammed with books

Marianna stood in the doorway watching me

"You'll probably want to take Dad's old books out and put your own stuff on the shelves,"

she said

"No I like books," I replied "Did my computer arrive? And my CD player?"

Page 11

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi

"Not yet," Marianna replied

I moved to the window, pushed the curtains aside, and peered out "What a great view!" I exclaimed "I can see all the way down the hill to thevillage!"

"Thrills," Marianna muttered

I turned to face her "Are you in a bad mood or something?"

She shrugged "Sylvia will help you unpack your suitcases, if you want."

"No I want to do it myself," I replied

I walked to a door next to the dresser "Is this the closet?"

I didn't wait for her to answer I pulled open the door and stared into an endlessly long closet with shelves and poles on both sides

"Wow!" I exclaimed "This is awesome! This closet is almost as big as my whole room back home!"

Back home

The words caught in my throat I was surprised by the wave of emotion that swept over me

Tears brimmed in my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away

I leaned into the closet so Marianna wouldn't see me cry Get over it, Heidi, I scolded myself This is your home now

But I wasn't over it.

I wasn't over the tragedy that had changed my life, that had brought me to this strange house in this tiny New England village

I'll never get over it, I thought bitterly, picturing my parents' smiling faces

I took a couple of deep breaths Then I stepped out of the closet "Marianna, this closet is really "

She wasn't there She had vanished

"What is her problem?" I asked out loud

I moved to the bed and started pulling T-shirts and tops from the first suitcase I carried them to the dresser and began piling them in a drawer Thedresser smelled a little mildewy I hoped my clothes wouldn't pick up the smell

I filled up the first drawer, then stopped I really should say hi to Uncle Jekyll, I decided I really should let him know that I've arrived

Tugging down the sleeves of my sweater, I hurried out into the hall and made my way to the steps My heart started to pound I hadn't seen UncleJekyll since I was five

Would he be happy to see me? I hope he gives me a warmer welcome than Marianna, I thought nervously

"Heidi where are you going?"

I turned at the sound of Marianna's voice from down the hall She poked her head out of her room

"Down to say hi to Uncle Jekyll," I told her

"He's in his lab You really shouldn't disturb Page 12

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi him," she called

"I'll just say hi and then hurry out," I replied

I ran into Sylvia at the bottom of the stairs She pointed me in the direction of my uncle's lab

Down another long hallway I stopped in front of the lab door

I raised my hand to knock But a loud noise on the other side of the door made me jerk my hand back

It sounded like an animal grunt A pig, maybe

I held my breath and listened

Another pig grunt Followed by frightening cries Like an animal caught in a trap

An animal in pain

I couldn't stand it any longer

I pushed open the door

My uncle stood hunched over a long table with his back to me His long white lab coat came down nearly to the floor

He dipped his head And I heard another squeal Not a human cry An animal cry

It's true! I thought, frozen in terror

He really is acting out the old Jekyll-Hyde story

Uncle Jekyll drank some weird

chemicals And he turned himself into a terrifying creature!

And then as I stared at him from the doorway, he turned

Slowly, he turned to face me

And I uttered a horrified gasp

I couldn't help myself My mouth dropped open as I gaped at him

No He wasn't a monster

But Uncle Jekyll looked so old! So much older than how I remembered him

My mind quickly did the math He must be in his early forties, I figured But his hair had turned completely white.

He had bags under his red-rimmed eyes and deep, craggy wrinkles down his cheeks His skin was so pale and dried out, no color at all, as if hehad been sick for a long time

"Heidi?" he cried out

He dropped the animal he had between his hands

A guinea pig, I thought It hit the lab table with a PLOP Then, squealing loudly, it jumped to the floor and scampered across the lab

"Oh Sorry," I murmured

The animal must have been making those grunts and howls, I realized

The surprise faded from Uncle Jekyll's face, replaced by a smile "Heidi you've grown! You've become a young woman! But I'd recognize youanywhere!"

He moved forward and hugged me His skin smelled of chemicals His cheek felt dry and Page 13

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi scratchy

When he backed away, his chin was quivering, and his pale gray eyes were wet

He looks a hundred years old! I thought

What has happened to him?

His smile faded He slapped his forehead

"I was supposed to pick you up!" he groaned

"That's okay " I started

"I'm so sorry." He shook his head His long white hair looked as if it hadn't been brushed in weeks! "My work I'm so involved in the lab ."

"A boy at the bus station gave me directions here," I told him "It was no problem Really And Marianna showed me my room."

He sighed "I've become such a mad scientist, sometimes I work in here for days and lose track of the time."

The equipment chugged and rattled behind him I saw a wall of cages Little white creatures, mice and guinea pigs, peered out from some of them

I heard a long, mournful cry from a room behind the lab It sounded like the howl of a dog

"You're doing important work here," I said awkwardly

He nodded "Yes I hope to make a major discovery soon." He sighed again "But it has been very difficult."

He brushed a hand through the thick tufts of his white hair His gray eyes studied me for a long moment

"Is your room okay?" he asked "We tried to brighten it up, to make it cheerful This old house is a pretty gloomy place."

"The room is fine," I replied

"Marianna helped me "

"You will be good for Marianna," Uncle Jekyll interrupted "Marianna needs someone her age."

"She still seems so quiet," I blurted out

He nodded "She is lonely in this big, old house with just her crazy father for company And I spend so much time on my work I hope you will not feelneglected, Heidi."

"No I'll be fine " I started

"I hope that you and Marianna " Uncle Jekyll's voice trailed off He lowered his eyes to the floor

"I hope so too," I said quickly "It

it's like I'm starting a whole new life here, Uncle Jekyll And I'm going to try my best to make it great."

He hugged me again "So much trouble," he murmured "So much sadness." When he stepped back, his chin was quivering again

What did he mean?

Was he talking about my parents? About the accident?

Or did he mean something else? Some other kind of trouble?

I started to the door But Uncle Jekyll's Page 14

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi words reminded me of Aaron And of the strange story Aaron told me

I turned back to my uncle "There is something I wanted to ask you about," I said

Uncle Jekyll had returned to the lab table He raised his eyes from a thick notebook "What is it, Heidi?"

"Well " I hesitated "This boy I met at the bus station He lives in the village I think he was joking with me You know

Teasing the new girl in town But he told me about a beast "

To my shock, Uncle Jekyll's pale, pale face turned a bright tomato red

"No!" he screamed "No! NO!"

"Huh? I'm sorry!" I choked out, backing toward the door

Uncle Jekyll's eyes bulged His face darkened nearly to purple "There's no beast!"

he shrieked "Don't listen to those crazy stories!" He slammed the table furiously with his fist "No beast!"

"So-sorry," I stammered again

I turned and ran out of the lab A few seconds later, the door slammed behind me

I stood there in the dark hallway, struggling to catch my breath Uncle Jekyll's angry words rang in my ears And I couldn't erase the sight of hispurple face, his furious eyes, his fist pounding the table

Why did he totally lose it like that?

Was he telling the truth? If he was, why did he have to scream?

Or did Aaron tell the truth? Did the beast exist? And did it live inside this house?

A hand squeezed my shoulder

I jumped about a mile

I turned to see Sylvia "I'm sorry,"

she apologized quickly "I didn't mean to startle you Would you like me to help you unpack?"

"No " I told her And then I had to tell her what had just happened "Uncle Jekyll freaked out I asked him a question, and he started screaming atme."

She nodded and brought her face close enough to whisper, "Your uncle is under a great deal of pressure."

My heart was still pounding "But he went totally ballistic!" I cried

"He is a good man," Sylvia said softly

"But his work sometimes drives him over the edge."

I stared hard at Sylvia What was she trying to tell me?

Over the edge?

What did that mean? That Uncle Jekyll was the beast that Aaron had warned me about?

No No way

Calm down, Heidi, I scolded myself

Don't let your imagination run wild

Sylvia tucked her hands into the pockets of Page 15

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi her white apron and led the way up the long stairway to my room I wanted to unpack by myself.But I let her help me I didn't feel like being alone

When we finished, I searched for Marianna.

I knocked on the door to her room But she didn't answer

So I explored the old house by myself for a while Uncle Jekyll's bedroom was a few doors down from Marianna's I found a small study, crammedwith shelves of books on all four walls

Another small bedroom was neat and cheerful

Probably a guest bedroom, I decided I wondered if my uncle ever had guests

Most of the other rooms on the second floor were empty, except for dust and thick cobwebs

A few rooms had furniture covered with old sheets and blankets

Maybe I can have my own study, I thought A little den where I can put my CD player and my computer A place to hang out with my new friends.New friends

I wished the school was open I felt so eager to meet some kids my age

I moved down the long hall, pulling open doors, exploring I pulled open the door to a small closet and startled a tiny gray mouse

The mouse stared up at me for a second, then scampered behind a broom

"Whoa!" I murmured I shuddered Are there mice in my room too?

The next room gave me an even bigger scare

As I pulled open the door, light from the hallway swept over the wallpaper and I gasped

The room was bare inside, except for two small armchairs, both covered with sheets, standing side by side like ghosts in the middle of the room.But the dark green wallpaper the walls

the walls

They were covered with scratches

Long, deep scratch marks Like ruts cut into the walls

As if some animal had raked its claws over the walls clawed them clawed them

until the wallpaper on all four walls stood scratched and shredded

An animal a creature

I backed out into the hall

Heard loud breathing

And realized I wasn't alone

"Marianna!" I gasped

Her dark eyes burned into mine "Heidi, what are you looking at?"

"This room " I choked out "The walls

They're all scratched The wallpaper is in shreds As if " I didn't finish my Page 16

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi thought

Marianna stared at me for a moment longer Then she turned her eyes away "George did that," she said softly

"Huh? George?"

"Our cat We had a very bad cat," she explained "He couldn't stand to be by himself One day, he got locked in this room

by accident And he went nuts."

I peered in at the long scratch marks They started halfway up the wall

How could a cat reach up that high?

How could one cat shred all four walls? And make such deep ruts?

"What happened to George?" I asked

Marianna still had her eyes turned away

"Dad had to put the poor guy to sleep," she replied "We had no choice He was just too crazy."

She took my arm "Come on, Heidi I came to bring you down to dinner." She smiled for the first time "A miracle is taking place tonight."

"Huh? A miracle?" I asked, following her down the stairs "What miracle?"

"Dad is actually joining us He usually works right through dinner But tonight, in your honor "

I stopped her at the bottom of the stairs

"I said something wrong when I saw him," I told her "I think I got him angry at me."

She raised her dark eyebrows "Angry?

Dad?"

I nodded "I met a boy at the bus station

His name is Aaron Freidus Do you know him?"

Marianna nodded "He goes to my school."

I glanced around the room to make sure Uncle Jekyll wasn't around "Aaron told me a weird story," I whispered to Marianna

"A very frightening story About a beast that's been attacking the village."

Marianna gasped and squeezed my arm Her hand was suddenly ice-cold "You mentioned that to my dad?"

I nodded "And then he freaked out."

"He's very sensitive about that," Marianna whispered "Don't worry He wasn't angry at you He gets angry at the villagers They give him a lot oftrouble

about his work He says they make up stories because they are ignorant."

"So Aaron's story isn't true?" I asked

She made a face "Of course not."

She let go of my arm and led the way to the dining room Outside the front window, I saw a bright half moon rising over the bare trees The treebranches bent and swayed Wind rattled the old windowpanes

The dining room was bright and cheerful A crystal chandelier sent sparkly light down over the long, white-tableclothed table

Uncle Jekyll was already seated at the head of the table He had removed his lab coat He Page 17

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi wore a blue denim work shirt over khakis

His thick white hair had been slicked down

He smiled as Marianna and I entered the room Then he motioned with his big hands for us to take our seats across from each other "Where wereyou?

Heidi, I hope you didn't get lost."

"No Marianna is a good guide," I said "But this house would be easy to get lost in,"

I added

He patted my hand "Don't worry

You'll learn your way around quickly."

Sylvia brought in steaming bowls of chowder

"This is real New England clam chowder,"

Uncle Jekyll said, lowering his head to the bowl and inhaling the steam "Look at all those clams

Bet you didn't have chowder like this in Springfield."

I laughed "No Our chowder came from a can."

My uncle's good mood, the bright, sparkly room, and the wonderful aroma of the creamy, thick chowder were helping to cheer me up

We had a very pleasant dinner Uncle Jekyll did most of the talking Marianna ate silently and only spoke when asked a question But I wasbeginning to feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more welcome

As we ate dessert warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream Uncle Jekyll

recalled my last visit He told once again the story of how I asked him if he was Frankenstein

He and I laughed all over again Marianna ate her dessert silently, eyes lowered

"You thought I was a mad scientist even then,"

he said, grinning, his silvery-gray eyes sparkling in the chandelier light "And, of course, you were right!" he joked

"If your name is Jekyll, you have no choice," my uncle continued, swallowing a big spoonful of ice cream "You have to be a mad scientist Peopleexpect it of you I guess if I wasn't a scientist "

"Dad, please " Marianna interrupted

Bright pink circles had erupted on her cheeks She appeared embarrassed by what he was saying

Uncle Jekyll ignored her He waved his spoon in the air "I think the original Dr

Jekyll got a bum rap," he continued

"Everyone thought he was a villain But Dr

Jekyll was actually a brilliant scientist."

I laughed "A brilliant scientist? I thought he drank stuff that turned him into an evil beast."

Uncle Jekyll nodded "But you have to be brilliant to invent a formula that will change a person so completely Can you imagine finding such anexciting formula?"

"Dad please!" Marianna begged "Do we really have to talk about this?"

"Of course we have pills today that change people,"

he continued "We have pills to make you sleepy, Page 18

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi pills to make you calm But imagine if someone invented something that totally changed yourwhole personality That changed you into an entirely different creature! Wow!"

Across the table from me, Marianna gritted her teeth angrily "Dad if you don't change the subject "

"Okay, okay." He raised his huge, bony hands in surrender "But I still think the original Dr Jekyll was misunderstood."

Later that night, I thought about our dinner conversation as I got ready for bed Why had it upset Marianna so much? I wondered

At first, she had seemed embarrassed Then she became angry

She definitely didn't want her dad to talk about strange formulas that totally changed people Why not? Because it frightened her?

Or because she knows a secret? A secret about her dad About the mysterious work he is doing in his lab

No, Heidi I scolded myself again

Don't jump to crazy conclusions Forget about Aaron's dumb story

I shivered as I pulled on a flannel nightshirt My room was cold and drafty But I moved to the window and pulled it open a few inches

Even in the winter I can't sleep with the bed room window closed I have to have fresh air

A cold breeze fluttered the

curtains around me I backed away from them, turned off the lamp on my bed table, and climbed under the heavy quilt on my bed

My first night in my new room

The sheets felt scratchy And the heavy quilt smelled of mothballs

Shivering, I pulled the quilt up to my chin and waited to warm up Silvery moonlight washed in through the window The curtains fluttered softly.

I shut my eyes and tried to clear my mind

So much had happened to me So many changes

So much to think about

I knew it would take me a long time to fall asleep No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shut off my mind

The faces of my friends back in Springfield floated in front of me Then I saw my parents, looking so healthy, so happy I saw my school the house

I grew up in

I thought about my bus ride About Aaron

About Marianna's strange, unfriendly greeting at the front door

Faces pictures so many words

I was just drifting off to sleep when the terrifying screams began

I sat straight up, my heart pounding

Another high, shrill scream

From right outside my window?

Page 19

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi I kicked off the heavy quilt and started to climb out of bed My legs were tangled in the sheet, and

I nearly fell

The curtains fluttered over me as I dove to the open window and peered out No one near the house

The screams were coming from the village

Gazing down the hill, I saw flashing lights in the town I heard the wail of sirens, rising and falling And I saw people running between the houses,running down the main street Running in small groups

Dogs barked I heard a man shouting frantically through a loudspeaker, but I couldn't make out the words

"It's like a bad dream," I murmured out loud

I shivered as the cold seeped through my nightshirt Blown by the strong, steady breeze, the window curtains swirled behind me

I backed away from the window, the screams and siren wails still in my ears I hugged myself, trying to warm up

What is going on down there? I wondered

My first thought was that a fire had broken out But I hadn't seen any flames

And then I remembered Aaron's story

"We're all afraid to go out at night," he told me, his dark, serious eyes burning into mine

The beast?

Was there really a beast out there?

Uncle Jekyll insisted that the beast didn't exist He had acted so strange, so angry when I mentioned it

If there was no beast, no wild, evil creature that attacked the town what was happening down there?

My mind spinning, I lurched to my closet

I searched in the dark for my robe

I'm going downstairs and asking Uncle Jekyll to explain, I decided

The sirens The flashing lights The screaming people running from their homes

It really is like a bad dream Except I know I'm awake

"Aaaagh!" I let out a frustrated cry

I couldn't find my robe Had I unpacked it? This new room this new closet I didn't know where anything was!

A sob escaped my throat Will I ever feel at home here? I wondered

How can I feel at home when there's a horror movie going on outside my window?

I had tossed my jeans and sweatshirt on the chair beside my dresser I pulled them on quickly, my hands trembling, and hurried into the hall

A single ceiling light near Marianna's room at the end of the hall cast a dim circle of light Squinting until my eyes adjusted, I ran to Uncle Jekyll'sroom

The door stood half open I knocked and Page 20

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi called his name

No answer

I pushed the door open and peered inside

"Uncle Jekyll?"

No Not there The bed was still made He hadn't come up to sleep yet

"He must still be in his lab," I murmured to myself Marianna said that he worked all hours of the night

I turned and hurried down the stairs Then I made my way along the back hall till I came to my uncle's lab

"Uncle Jekyll? Are you in there?"

The door stood open Pale fluorescent light washed down from low ceiling lamps, making everything look an eerie green

I poked my head in "Uncle Jekyll?"

The equipment bubbled and churned A row of small red lights on a machine in the corner blinked on and off

I stepped into the lab A sharp, sour aroma greeted my nose On the long lab table, a thick green liquid dripped slowly one drip at a time from ahigh glass tube into a large glass beaker

"Uncle Jekyll? Are you in here?"

I made my way along the table and peered into the little room behind the lab No No sign of him

I turned to leave But stopped when my eyes landed on the object at the edge of the table

A drinking glass Empty except for a little puddle on the bottom and a green film on the sides

I swallowed hard and stepped up to examine the glass I stared into it Then I sniffed it It smelled sharp and sour

"Ugh." I backed away

The thick green liquid clung to the sides

Was it the same liquid dripping from the glass tube?

Did my uncle drink that stuff?

Did he drink that foul liquid and turn himself into a creature, a wild beast? Was he down in the village now, attacking people, terrifying everyone?

"That's crazy!" I cried My voice echoed shrilly off the walls of the lab

The red lights blinked on and off And the DRIP DRIP DRIP of the thick green liquid into the glass beaker seemed to grow louder

I don't want to live in a horror movie! I told myself

I covered my ears with my hands I couldn't stand the blinking lights, the bubbling, churning, and dripping

I ran out of the lab Down the back hall, searching every room for him The kitchen The dining room A den I hadn't seen yet The living room.Dark All dark

No sign of Uncle Jekyll

If he wasn't down in the village, terrorizing everyone, where was he?

I stopped at the front stairs, breathing Page 21

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi hard I leaned on the smooth wood of the banister, waiting to catch my breath

And then my entire body went cold and I froze in fright as the heavy front door creaked and swung open

I gripped the banister and gaped in silence as Uncle Jekyll staggered into the house

His white hair shot out wildly around his head, as if it had been shocked with electricity His pale eyes bulged His face was smeared with dirt

He didn't see me He shut his eyes tight as if he were in pain He uttered a low groan as he bumped the door closed with his shoulder

The sleeve of his black overcoat was ripped at the shoulder His blue work shirt had come untucked from his pants Long, muddy smears ran downthe front of the shirt Most of the buttons were missing

Wheezing loudly, Uncle Jekyll lurched across the front entryway His boots left a trail of muddy prints on the floor The legs of his pants were stained,one knee torn

I gripped the banister tighter I wanted to disappear I didn't want him to see me there

I didn't want him to explain where he had been or what he had done

I didn't want to know

It was all too terrifying

"Heidi "

I shuddered when he rasped my name I squeezed the banister so hard my hand ached

"Heidi? What are you doing down here?" he demanded, moving closer, eyeing me warily

"I I couldn't sleep," I choked out "I heard noises Screams and things."

He tried to push down his hair, but it remained wild and standing straight up His pale gray eyes searched my face, as if trying to see inside me, tofind out what I knew

What I suspected

"Uncle Jekyll " I said in a trembling voice "Where did you go?"

"For a walk," he answered quickly He scratched his cheek "I like the air late at night I often take a long walk around the hill when I have finished mywork."

"But your clothes " I started to protest

"Your face "

"I fell," he answered quickly A strange smile spread over his mud-smeared face "I must look a sight Sorry if I frightened you, Heidi."

"You fell?" My eyes went to the missing buttons on his shirt, the tear at the knee of his pants

He nodded "The tall grass is so slick after a heavy frost," he said "I wasn't watching where I was going I was foolish I Page 22

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi usually bring my flashlight, but tonight I forgot it."

"And you fell? Are you hurt?" I asked

He sighed "Not too bad My head hit a low branch I couldn't see it in the dark." He rubbed his forehead "I was so startled, I slipped and rolledhalfway down the hill."

"That's awful," I declared

Did I believe him?

I wanted to I really wanted to

"I don't know what that is," he replied sharply

"Something bad " I started "People were running and "

"I didn't see anything," he interrupted

"I was walking in the woods I couldn't see the village I didn't hear anything."

"It was so frightening," I told him "The screams woke me up."

He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck "I'm so sorry," he murmured The tenderness in his voice took me

by surprise

"It's your first day here," he continued "I know how hard this is for you I know your whole life has been turned upside down, Heidi."

"Yes," I agreed I lowered my head so he couldn't see the tears brimming in my eyes

"Give yourself time to adjust," Uncle Jekyll advised, speaking in a whisper "These tiny New England villages can be a little strange Try not to payattention Try to let things slide for a while You'll be a lot happier if you do."

Let things slide?

Don't pay attention?

What was he saying? That I should ignore the screams and sirens and people running wildly through the town?

I stared hard at him, trying to understand

He said I'd be a lot happier if I ignored what I heard and saw

Was that advice from a caring uncle?

Or a threat?

It took a long time to get back to sleep

The excitement had ended down in the town No more sirens or screams A few dogs continued to bark But all else was silent

I pulled the quilt up high and stared at the ceiling My mind spun with thoughts of all that had Page 23

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi happened

Uncle Jekyll was lying to me I knew that

He hadn't fallen down the hill And he knew very well what had happened in town

But was he lying to protect me? Or to protect himself?

Finally, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep

I slept late When I awoke and went to the window, the sun was already high over the winter-bare trees The snow down the hill sparkled brightly.For a brief second, I glimpsed a deer trotting into a thick cluster of pines

I stretched, smiling as the fresh morning air floated in through my open window But my good mood vanished as soon as the frightening memory ofthe night before swept back into my mind

I have to know the truth, I told myself

I won't be able to relax until I learn the truth about Uncle Jekyll

I pulled on a clean pair of black leggings and a bright yellow wool sweater and hurried down to breakfast

But angry, shouting voices made me stop in the hall outside the kitchen

"I don't have to stay here!" I heard Marianna cry angrily "I don't have to live like this!"

"Sure, sure," Uncle Jekyll replied sarcastically "And where would you go?"

"Anywhere!" she shrieked "Anywhere where I didn't have to put up with you!"

"Keep your voice down," Uncle Jekyll urged, sounding desperate "The whole house doesn't have to hear."

"I don't care! I really don't care!"

Marianna wailed "I'm so tired of living with so many lies, so many secrets! I I can't do it anymore, Dad! You're asking too much!"

Leaning against the wall, out of sight of the kitchen door, I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from gasping

What was Marianna saying? Did she know the truth about her father?

My heart pounded as I eavesdropped on their argument

"I can't have any friends," Marianna was saying in a trembling, emotional voice "I can't invite anyone over I have no life, Dad

No life at all And it's all your fault!"

"You have to be patient," Uncle Jekyll replied heatedly "You have to give me time, Marianna You know it isn't my fault."

"I don't care!" she shrieked "I don't care anymore!"

Uncle Jekyll started to say something else

But I coughed I didn't even realize I had done it

Their argument ended instantly The kitchen was silent now

I took a deep breath Put a blank expression on my face And tried to act casual as I walked into the room

Page 24

R L Stine - Goosebumps 2k 14 - Jekyl and Heidi Everyone said good morning

Uncle Jekyll smiled But Marianna gritted her teeth and glanced away

Her bowl of cereal hadn't been touched

Her dark curls fell damply over her face

Her hands were clenched into tight fists on the tabletop

"Would you like some eggs?" Uncle Jekyll asked, the smile plastered on his face

"Sylvia can make them for you any way you like."

"No I'll just have cereal." I reached across the table for the box "I'm not a big breakfast person."

"Marianna and I were just having a little family discussion," Uncle Jekyll said, grinning across the table at her

Marianna scowled and didn't raise her eyes

"Oh, really?" I said "I missed it."

No one said much for the rest of breakfast I couldn't wait to take Marianna aside and find out what she knew I'm not going to let her go until shetells me everything, I vowed

After breakfast, Uncle Jekyll disappeared into his lab He closed the door after him, and then I heard him lock it

I tracked Marianna down in her room

She was leaning over a small glass cage She held a cute brown-and-white hamster in her hand

"Who is that?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful and bright

"Ernie," Marianna replied, not turning around The hamster moved from hand to hand "Ernie is my best friend in the whole world."

"He's cute," I said I stepped up beside her "I like his pink nose."

Marianna nodded but didn't reply

I took a deep breath I couldn't wait any longer I had to hear her story

"I lied this morning," I confessed "Before breakfast I heard you and your dad."

She wrapped Ernie in one hand Her dark eyes flashed "You did?"

I nodded "You sounded pretty steamed."